YOUR article on racism in Scottish education uncovers, yet again, an issue of long standing (“The everyday racism that blights our education system”, The Herald, November 14).
The reported lack of teachers from black and ethnic minority backgrounds has deep-rooted origins in our society and changes in the law through the Equality Act (2010) to combat discrimination seem to have had little real impact in the world of education staffing.
In the context of a developing society it took many years for women to get into positions of authority and influence in Scottish education. It took much effort to change attitudes within both society as a whole and within a system of education which is expected to reflect it.
However, I suggest it is the ultra conservative paternalistic nature of education in Scotland which remains the main barrier to equality. The profile of people in positions of power in Scottish education is still too often one of white males who have university degrees from what some people consider the “big four” subject areas found within the Curriculum for Excellence; namely languages, mathematics, science or social subjects.
I expect that a black art teacher, for example, would quickly realise that their morale, confidence and self-esteem which was historically undermined by their colour or ethnicity has been dealt a double whammy if they have ambitions for high office.
The lack of representative diversity in Scottish education is therefore a very broad issue which has long been culturally embedded. I consider it is an unhealthy prejudice not confined to racism.
Bill Brown,
46 Breadie Drive, Milngavie.
JUST as the TIE Campaign has secured the imposition of its ideology in every subject in Scottish schools, Professor Rowena Arshad OBE, Head of Education at Edinburgh University and recipient of a GTCS Award for outstanding commitment to Professional Values, is pushing another aspect of “social justice” and identity politics on to our education system.
GTCS itself demands that teachers subscribe to and promote the “social justice” ideology. This is an outrageous politicisation of a profession, and, thereby, a politicisation of education itself.
To clarify, “social justice” involves setting out to equalise outcomes across all groups in society and it always leads to injustices at the individual level. Instead of treating people equally and judging them on their merits, individuals must be sacrificed in order to balance up the statistics. Keeping giving special treatment to certain groups is a sure-fire way to breed resentment among the rest. Society is not comprised of oppressed and oppressor groups, it is a collection of characters each with their own faults and flaws, qualities and virtues.
As a minority ethnic woman, Ms Arshad has an honoured position at the heart of the Scottish education system, and she uses it to promote a political philosophy that presents people like herself as oppressed. Opponents of the philosophy she propagates increasingly face hostility and exclusion in their professional lives. I’m sure some teachers have experienced racist incidents, but many get assaulted and insulted everyday regardless of their race. Deal with the miscreants and promote virtue, but don’t use it as a pretext for politicisation.
Richard Lucas,
Leader of the Scottish Family Party, 272 Bath Street, Glasgow.
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